The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 425 Christmas and the Fairy Tale Town

In the stands.

After snapping a few photos, Colin seemed to have rediscovered the feeling of being in school, and then stood up and walked towards the other side where the light was better.

Ino was happy about Colin's departure, as his original intention was to use this Triwizard Tournament as an opportunity to promote Scream Shack.

Although, at present, no lifelike dolls have been created as envisioned, the outside world looks somewhat desolate.

But all of this is limited to daytime.

At night, the desolate town presents a completely different scene.

……

"Ino, there's something I've always wanted to ask you. Was everything in the dream real or just an illusion?"

Unlike others, Draco was one of the few who knew about dreams. That's why, after Colin left, he asked the question that had been bothering him.

He saw the small town in the distance, and he also knew the purpose of his and Colin's trip, but the deserted town easily reminded him of that kind of real dream.

At the same time.

Hearing Draco's question, Ino hesitated for a moment before smiling and saying:

"If you think it's true, then it's true; if you think it's false, then it must be false."

"Like a transformation?" Draco asked, looking somewhat surprised.

"That's one way to understand it." Ino nodded slightly, agreeing with this interpretation.

In fact, that's what he thought too; everything in the dream seemed like a transformation, or a product of his own thoughts.

But if we really want to distinguish between real and fake, there is no standard answer, because transfiguration is inherently somewhere between reality and illusion.

Perhaps 99% of wizards believe that Transfiguration is fake.

However, once you possess the Philosopher's Stone, there is no distinction between real and fake transformations, since turning stone into gold is true gold.

……

Time slips away quietly.

Ino also chatted with Draco about some trivial matters of life, although Draco did most of the talking.

At that moment, Bagman's voice echoed throughout the massive stadium:

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to once again..."

The familiar opening ignited everyone's enthusiasm.

As the first warrior entered the arena, Ino lightly tapped the armrest of his seat with his finger, and the previously empty field underwent a dramatic transformation.

Flying everywhere were winged bronze keys, giant wizard chess pieces, and an enormous hourglass directly overhead...

Unlike the others who were just watching the spectacle, Professor McGonagall smiled with satisfaction after witnessing all of this.

These are all products of Transfiguration. Although she is now the headmistress, she was previously a Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts.

……

Time, sometimes, is like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, fleeting in an instant.

While people marvel at its beauty, they often overlook the fleeting nature of time.

A full month and a half has passed since the first match of the three-way battle.

The days were drawing to a close, and Christmas Eve was just around the corner.

When talking about the three-way battle, we must mention the performance of the three warriors.

When the Harry Potter story ended and everything returned to normal, Durmstrang's warriors finally demonstrated the excellence of elite education.

While it's not quite a complete domination, the gap is undeniable.

Logically, the Flame Cup should be a long-running and enduring topic of discussion throughout the entire school year.

However, with the release of the latest issue of "Once Upon a Time in Hogwarts" along with a movie screen mirror two weeks ago, the young wizards' focus has quietly shifted.

"So, this was a princess who was killed by her stepmother?"

"Mermaids can fall in love with humans? That prince must be blind. I've seen mermaids in the Black Lake..."

"Cinderella's glass slipper must be a transformation spell..."

Inside the castle, discussions were everywhere, and this time the Muggle wizards were truly in the limelight.

According to the latest issue of the magazine, the fairytale town belonging to the miracle wizard Professor Swinburne will be open during the Christmas season.

In the accompanying video mirror, many people also saw dreamlike scenes: talking wooden figures, girls the size of a thumb...

But it is clear that the young wizards who grew up in the magical world knew nothing about these fairy tales.

This led to various discussions about fairy tales, which became popular throughout the castle.

Even on weekends, there are people in the common room who are specifically responsible for telling stories.

……

Time flies.

Hogwarts did not hold a dinner party on Christmas Day.

Or rather, the banquet was not held in the castle chapel.

At 7 p.m., as the last rays of the setting sun disappeared from the horizon, darkness officially enveloped the earth.

Unlike during the day.

The town at night is lit up with all sorts of magical lamps: a giant pumpkin, a slender mushroom, a roaring lion, and a Professor McGonagall standing motionless...

Unlike other magic lamps, this lamp post is printed with the maker's signature and the date.

The "Professor McGonagall" magic lamp in front of me only had one sentence engraved on it: Could you please assign less homework?

"Hahaha, Minerva! You're really more popular than me..." Dumbledore stood in front of the lamppost, his envy evident on his face.

"Don't let me find out who he is." Unlike Dumbledore's laughter, Professor McGonagall pursed her lips, looking somewhat angry.

"That's a good thing, at least everyone who comes here can see you."

Dumbledore looked around with a sigh. He had been very interested since receiving Ino's invitation.

But once he arrived in the town, everything there made him feel very comfortable. Perhaps this is what Hogwarts should be like in his dreams.

……

The town at night.

Not only was it brightly lit, but it was also teeming with people.

Because this opening is open to the entire magic world.

George and Fred, each carrying their own child, weaved through the crowd.

Their carefree attitude made Angelina and another blonde woman exchange wry smiles. But soon, they also put aside their so-called adult burdens and chose to join their husbands and children in their games.

The child's laughter grew even louder after seeing his mother join in.

Happiness can be really simple sometimes.

What we're doing is perhaps simply letting go of a burden that never existed in the first place.

……

Compared to the twins' lively nature, Harry and Ginny appeared quite composed as they strolled hand in hand through the town.

Harry paused for a moment as they passed a candy store.

A candy store called "Time" is owned by an ordinary-looking middle-aged couple who feel strangely familiar to him.

At this moment, the middle-aged couple was surrounded by young wizards who kept taking out all kinds of candy from the counter.

"Is something wrong?"

Ginny noticed something was wrong with her husband immediately.

"It's okay, I think they're very happy..." Harry said softly.

After he finished speaking, he decisively shifted his gaze, but in that instant, he also spotted Snape in the crowd, who seemed to be looking at the candy store as well.

Perhaps due to his wizarding instincts, Snape's gaze immediately fell on Harry.

They gazed at each other silently from a great distance.

moment.

"I'm planning to find a godfather for our child."

Harry took Ginny's hand and walked in the direction Snape had turned.

……

In a bustling town.

Ino sat alone on a small stool by the roadside wall, with a yellowed canvas in front of him.

Although he was sitting on the side of the street, his gaze seemed to penetrate all obstacles.

At that moment, he saw many familiar figures in the town: three generations of the Malfoy family, Lupin and Tonks, Sirius Black, and even Moody, holding a teacup and talking to himself...

Suddenly, a clear voice rang out:

"Sir, excuse me! Are you still running a fortune-telling business?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Ino slowly raised her head.

Hermione was standing prettily in front of the stall, holding a crumpled one-pound note.

(End of the book)

That's all for now. I'll start writing the side stories tomorrow.

Five months have passed since this book began in spring and ended in early autumn.

Thank you to all my friends for your support along the way.

(End of this chapter)